Key witnesses give evidence in murder trial of Joshua Folkes

Key witnesses into the death of a 17-year-old man in Palmers Green gave evidence at the Old Bailey today.

Joshua Folkes, of New Southgate, was stabbed to death in Bowes Road, in the early hours of December 3, 2013.

Three men - Kreshnik Etemi, 18, of Hill Road, Muswell Hill, Halil Ankay, of Glynn Road, Wood Green, and 17-year-old boy who cannot be named - have all been charged with murder.
The trio deny the charge.

Today, key witnesses into the death of Mr Folkes gave evidence in court.

Melissa Flack, who lived next door to the unnamed defendant in Bowes Road, told the court about events that led up to the stabbing of Mr Folkes at the flat on December 3.

She said: “I heard a loud banging from next door. About five or ten minutes passed and then I heard three or four voices shouting.”

Ms Flack then saw Mr Folkes, known as ‘J Money’ to his friends, lying apparently dead on the ground outside the flat.

She also described three men running from the scene who fitted the description of the three defendants.

Prosecutor Simon Mayo then asked Ms Flack about a friend of Mr Folkes named Matthew Heardy, or ‘Dutch’ as he was known, who was also at the scene.

Ms Flack said: “I knew of him but didn’t know him personally. I saw him from my window with his foot on J Money [Josh Folkes] and he was shouting ‘Come on J Money, get up, get up.’”

When asked by defence barrister Michael Bromley-Martin QC about the three men running from the scene and their reaction to seeing Mr Folkes on the floor, Ms Flack said: “They looked in shock, it was as if they were saying ‘Oh my god, what has just happened?’”

Gary Osborne, who was walking down Palmerston Road, in Palmers Green, on the evening of the attack, told the court about three men he encountered on his walk.

He said: “One man was carrying a green bottle which looking like a beer bottle and another man was carrying a puffer jacket and a knife that was covered in blood.”

Mr Osborne added: “The man carrying the knife also said ‘what are we going to do with this, it’s still wet.’ It was obvious he was talking about the knife.”

The case is set to continue tomorrow, with Mr Mayo due to call on witnesses including the father of Mr Ankay, Ercan.